US1085838A - Interlock between groups for voting-machines. - Google Patents

Description

C. C. ABBOTT.

INTBRLOCK BETWEEN GROUPS FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1913.

Patented Feb3,1914.

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A TTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANGGRMIH Cu.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

NITED STATES PAIENVIvx OFFICE.

CHARLES C. ABBOTT, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TRIUMPH VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORIORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

INTERLOCK BETWEEN GROUPS FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

To all who/m, 'it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES C. 'Anno'r'n a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, State of` lvlassachusettahave invented an Improvement in Intel-locks Between Groups for Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that portion of the mechanism of a voting machine which has to do with group voting, so called, and constitutes an improvement upon or an addition to the mechanism shown in Letters Patent No. 980,390 granted to me January 3, 1911.

The invention is shown as applied to a horizontal voting machine of the general type shown in Letters Patent No. 914,006, granted to me March 2, 1909, and in which the names of party candidates are placed in horizontal lines, called party lines, and the names of all candidates for the same otlice are placed in vertical columns, called oliice columns, although the mechanism may be arranged otherwise if preferred.

Generally speaking the mechanism to which the invention relates is that which permits votes to be cast in a group in accordance with the will of the voter, all for the nominees of one party, or for one nominee of each of several part-ies, or for any number of nominee-s of any party up to th e total number of the oiiices in a group, but renders it impossible for a voter to cast more than one vote for any candidate or more votes than there are offices in the group.

In some States the laws relative to presidential elections provide that the electoral vote may be cast either by voting directly for the candidates for President and Vice- President, or, if the voter wishes to split, by voting for the dierent electors, whose names are also on the ballot. In applying this provision to a voting machine of the type above referred to the names of the candidates for President and Vice-President of the several parties are arranged in one ofiice column, and the names of the electors are placed in other oiice columns equal in number to the number of electors to be voted for. This arrangement provides, as will be seen, what may, for purposes of description, be considered as two groups, one containing the presidential nominees and comprising a sin- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 17, 1913.

Patented Feb. 3,1914.

Serial No. 761,710.

gle column, and the other containing the f electoral nominees and comprising a plurality of columns. Associated with the voting devices of the latter group is grouping mechanism of the character above referred to whereby the voter may vote for a predetermined number of electors in any of the `several parties, but cannot vote for more than this number.

The grouping mechanism as herein shown is substantially the same as that described and shown in my prior Patent No. 980,390, above referred to.

T he present invention has for its general object to provide an interlock between two or more groups, and more particularly to provide an interlock between the presidential and electoral groups above referred to, although it will be obvious that similar mechanism might be employed to equal advantage in other group voting. The mechanism constituting the embodiment of the invention shown provides that if a voter cast a straight vote for the President and Vice President all of the voting devices corresponding to the several electors will be locked against operation. Similarly if a voter start-s to vote a split ticket by voting for the several electors the operation of casting the first vote for an individual elector operates to lock the other group, so that a direct vote for President and Vice-President cannot be cast. Vith this and other objects in view I have devised the novel improvements which I will now describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciiication and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of so much of the grouping mechanism as is necessary to illustrate the present invention; F ig. 2 is an elevation of certain of the parts as seen from the right in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the upper portion of Fig. 1 looking from the opposite side.

Q0 denotes the base of a voting machine, 21 the face plate, 22 the group housing, 23 the grouping plate, 24 voting members, and 25 interlocking members. Only a portion of one party line of voting members is shown in Fig. 1, these voting members being the lowermost members of several otiice columns, but it will be understood that the number of columns and the number of voting memberS in each column will be in accordance with the requirements, as more fully described in my prior Patent No. 914,006, above referred to. The interlocking members correspond in number with the otlice columns, and each comprises side plates 2G and cam plates 97 corresponding in number with the voting members in the column and movable obliquely relative to the side plates. rlfhe voting members as shown comprise oscillatory shafts 28 journaled in the framework and provided with arms 29 adapted to engage the adjacent cani plates 27 and displace the same laterally, thereby contracting the interlocking members longitudinally, taking up the slack therein, and making them rigid.

30 denotes the separat-ors which are broadly wedge shaped as in my former iljatcnt o. 980,390 reterred to. These sepa rators are suspended so as t-o swing freely by means of parallel links 34 pivoted at their upper ends to U-shaped carrier.; 3G and at their lower ends to said separators. The carriers slide vertically between way plates 38 secured to the front plate and the group housing respectively. The upper end of each carrier is connected to an interlocking member in any suitable manner, as by means of a hook 41 extending from the carrier and engaging ay cross pin 42 which extends between the lower ends of the side plates Q0 of the corresponding interlocking member.

43 denotes spacing blocks carried by arms 44 pivoted on pins 45 extending through the way plates and through the front plate and group housing respectively. The spacing blocks are rigidly secured to the arms and each is provided at its under side with a transverse groove 49 which is adapted to receive a grouping key 50. The grouping keys slide in slots in the grouping plate and in a guide flange 53 formed integral therewith, and their inner ends engage sockets 54 in one ot the plates of the framework. The grouping keys are provided with lugs 55 which pass through slots 5G in the guide tlange and engage the inner side of the grouping plate to prevent detachment of the grouping keys from the machine.

The construction and operation of the parts thus far described are substantially the same as in my prior Patent No. 980,390, above referred to. In ordinary or regular voting the spacing blocks are all locked against lateral movement by means of the grouping keys. Each interlocking member has the capacity i'or as many slacks as there are cam plates in said member, and in ordinary voting each interlocking member is so set or adjusted as to permit the movement of one only of the cam plates. vThe operation of a voting member, by displacing a cam plate laterally, shortens the interlocking member land raises the corresponding separator. The upper ends ot the separators lie intermediate the spacing blocks with a space normally between each separator and each adjacent, spacing block, the aggregate of the two spaces being just suliicicntto cause the separator to be litted into close engagement with both spacing blocks by the operation of a voting member. ln setting up the machine for group voting the grouping keys are withdrawn 'from all ol the spacing blocks intermediate the separators corresponding with the First and last columns in a group. Then the grouping keys of the group have been withdrawn all the separators and spacing blocks intermediate the tirst and last separator ot the group are tree to swing laterally. lllhile in ordinary voting the conditionsI require that one slack only be provided tor in each interlocking member, and the operation ot a single voting member takes up this slack, the conditions ot group voting' rcquire that each interlocking member in the group have the capacity for the taking up in said member of a number oi slacks equal to the number of otlices to be voted for in the group. In other words the adjustment must be such as to permit the operation in each otlice column of as many voting' members as there are ditlierent parties nominating candidates for the otlice and, furthermore, to prevent the aggregate number ol votes cast in all ot the columns from exceeding this number. This result is accomplished by means oit the swinging separators and swinging spacing blocks, as is more fully described in my prior Patent No. 980,390 above referred to.

ln setting up the mechanism shown herein for use in a presidential election one column may be employed for the candidates for president and Vice-President of the several parties, and the grouping key corresponding to this column will be left in engagement with the -orresponding spacing block 43, so that only one voting member in this column may be operated as in regular voting. This is the column shown at the right in Fig. 3. It will be understood that a single voting member is employed for both the presidential and vice-presidential nominees ol cach party. A suitable number oit other columns equal to the total number ot electors to be chosen will be connected into a group by the withdrawal ot the proper keys, as above explained. rlhese are the eight columns represented at the lett in Fig. 3. As heretofore pointed out the present invention contemplates the provision of means whereby the operation of a voting member in the presidential column will lock the voting members in all of the electoral columns, and whereby the operation of a voting member in any elect-oral column will lock the votmg members in the presidential column.

Tt this end the following mechanism is provi ed.

57 denotes a plate mounted to have a limited horizontal sliding movement on studs 58 screwed into the group housing 22 and projecting therefrom. The plate 57 is formed with short slots 59 to receive said studs and is retained on said studs by washers 60 and the Cotter pins 6l.

62 denotes studs which are driven into openings in the opposite arms of the carriers 36 and project therefrom through elongated slots 63 in the group housing 22.

64 denotes a substantially triangular cam slot o-r opening in the plate 57 which receives the stud 62 corresponding to the presidential column, shown at the right in Fig. 3. The slot or opening 64 is formed with an inclined upper edge 68 terminating in a short vertical portion providing a shoulder 67.

65 denotes slots in the plate -57 which receive the studs 62 corresponding to the other or electoral columns. Each of t-he slots 65 comprises a lower, substantially triangular enlargement having an inclined upper edge 69, similar to the edge 68 of the slot or opening 64 but inclined in the opposite direction, and an elongated upper vertical portion 70. The slots 63 and the vertical portions of the slots 65 `are of a length sufficient to permit the vertical movement of each of the studs 62 necessary to take up in each interlocking member a number of slacks equal to the number of electors to be voted for. The construction shown provides for eight electors, there being eight electoral columns, and the slots 63 are of a suiicient length to permit the vertical movement of the studs 62 necessary to take up eight slacks in each of the interlocking members. Inasmuch, however, as only one voting member is to be operated in the presidential column at any one time the vertical length of the slot 64 need only be suflicient to permit the movement of the corresponding stud necessary to take up one slack in the corresponding interlocking member, so that in the construction shown the slot 64 is provided only with the short vertical shoulder 67 rather than with an elongated vertical extension as in the case of the slots 65.

66 denotes springs connected at their opposite ends to the studs 62 and grouping keys 50, respectively, the function of said springs being to insure the dropping or return to normal position of the carriers 36,

and separators 30 at the proper times, that is to say when the voting members are re turned to non-voting position and the slack in the interlocking members is restored.

The operation of the group interlock is as follows: The position of the parts shown in Fig. 3 is thatv assumed by them when one voting member in one of the office columns (namely that farthest toward the left) of the electoral group has been operated or moved into the voting position, all other voting members being in the non-voting position. Operation of this voting member has caused one slack to be taken up in the corresponding interlocking member, so that the corresponding stud 62 has been moved upwardly one step. Upward movement of the stud 62, by engagement with the inclined portion 69 of the corresponding slot 65 has caused the plate 57 to be moved toward the left into the position shown in Fig. 3, and engagement of said stud with the vertical portion 70 of said slot has locked said plate in this position, preventing movement thereof toward the right. The movement of the plate 57 toward the left has caused the stud 62 corresponding to the presidential column to occupy a position adjacent the right end of the slot or opening 6i and in engagement with the inclined upper edge 68 thereof. Said last named st-ud 62 cannot therefore be moved vertically without moving the plate 57 toward the right, this movement being prevented as above explained. Inasmuch, however, as no voting member can be operated without taking up a slack in the corresponding interlockingI member and causing a vertical movement of the corre sponding stud 62, it will be seen that when a. voting member in any column of the electoral group has been operated all of the voting members in the presidential group or column are locked against operation. Operation of the voting members in the other electoral columns, however, within the limits prescribed by the grouping arrangement, is freely permitted, since the studs 62 corresponding to these columns are free to move into the vertical portions 7() of the slots 65,

as will be clear from Fig. 3. Then all the voting members are in the normal or nonvoting position operation of a voting member in the presidential column will cause an upward movement of the stud 62 shown at the right in Fig. 3 and, by engagement of said stud with the inclined edge 68 of the slot 64, will move the plate 57 toward the right, and also, by engagement of said stud with the shoulder 67, will lock said plate in this position and prevent its movement toward the left. Movement of the plate 57 toward the right causes the inclined edges 69 of the slots 65 to be brought over the studs 62 corresponding to all of the electoral columns, so that no voting member can be operated in any of these columns without causing a corresponding movement of the plate 57 toward the left, the movement being prevented as above explained.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that when a voting member in the presidential column has been operated all of the voting members in all of the electoral columns are locked against operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a voting machine, the combination ot voting members, vertically movable carriers having projecting studs, separators connected with said carriers, swinging spacing blocks intermediate the separators, grouping keys cooperating with said spacing blocks, springs connecting said studs and grouping keys, and a sliding plate having cam slots in which said studs are received.

2. In a voting machine, the combination l with voting members and grouping mechanism including vertically movable carriers having projecting studs, of a sliding' plate having openings in which said studs are received, said openings cach comprising an upper vertical portion and a lower triangular enlargement having an inclined upper edge.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. ABBOTT. IVitliesses MARTIN l). IIERNAHAN, S. E. TARRANT.

Copies of ythil patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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